Test cricket provides a great opportunity for batters to score big knocks. And by big knocks, we mean centuries, double centuries and sometimes even triple centuries.
But there have been instances of batters failing to reach the triple-digit figures. Despite that, their teams put up some of the highest totals on the board.
Here we’ll look at the highest team totals not to include a century in a Test innings.
Highest Test Team Totals Without a Century
| Team | Score | Opponent | Venue | Match Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sri Lanka | 531 | Bangladesh | Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium | 30/03/2024 |
| India | 9/524 dec | New Zealand | Green Park | 18/11/1976 |
| Australia | 7/520 dec | West Indies | WACA Ground | 16/12/2009 |
| South Africa | 517 | Australia | Adelaide Oval | 30/01/1998 |
| Australia | 511 | England | Brisbane Cricket Ground | 04/12/2025 |
| Pakistan | 8/500 dec | Australia | Melbourne Cricket Ground | 11/12/1981 |
| England | 8/490 dec | West Indies | Headingley | 25/08/2017 |
| Bangladesh | 488 | Zimbabwe | MA Aziz Stadium | 06/01/2005 |
| Australia | 485 | New Zealand | AMI Stadium | 25/02/1993 |
| India | 485 | Sri Lanka | Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground | 26/11/1997 |
| India | 481 | England | Trent Bridge | 27/07/2007 |
| Australia | 8/480 dec | West Indies | Brisbane Cricket Ground | 26/11/2009 |
| South Africa | 479 | India | M Chinnaswamy Stadium | 02/03/2000 |
| England | 9/477 dec | South Africa | Headingley | 04/08/1994 |
| Australia | 476 | England | Adelaide Oval | 12/01/1912 |
| West Indies | 475 | India | Kensington Oval | 23/03/1962 |
| South Africa | 473 | Australia | Newlands | 08/03/2002 |
| Australia | 471 | Sri Lanka | Sinhalese Sports Club Ground | 17/08/1992 |
| England | 470 | West Indies | Kennington Oval | 19/08/2004 |
| Sri Lanka | 469 | England | Sinhalese Sports Club Ground | 13/03/1993 |
| India | 465 | Pakistan | Gaddafi Stadium | 27/10/1978 |
| South Africa | 8/464 dec | England | Kingsmead | 21/01/1928 |
| England | 464 | Australia | Brisbane Cricket Ground | 27/11/1970 |
| Australia | 461 | New Zealand | WACA Ground | 20/11/1997 |
| Pakistan | 9/459 dec | Sri Lanka | Arbab Niaz Stadium | 08/09/1995 |
| Australia | 459 | Pakistan | Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium | 04/03/2022 |
| Bangladesh | 458 | New Zealand | Bay Oval | 01/01/2022 |
| Australia | 456 | England | WACA Ground | 29/11/2002 |
| Australia | 455 | Pakistan | Gaddafi Stadium | 01/11/1994 |
| Pakistan | 455 | New Zealand | McLean Park | 11/12/2009 |
Key Insights on Highest Test Team Totals Without a Century
Record-Breaking Team Totals and Innings Milestones
Sri Lanka have posted the highest team total without a century in Tests. They aggregated 531 runs in the first innings of the 2024 Chattogram Test. Kusal Mendis top-scored with 93, followed by Kamindu Mendis (92) and Dimuth Karunaratne (86).
Sri Lanka’s 531 is also the highest team total without a century in an away Test. (Check out Sri Lanka’s highest team totals in Tests here.)
India were the first team to score 500-plus runs without a century in a Test innings. They declared the first innings of the 1976 Kanpur Test at 524 for 9. Notably, six batters scored fifties, but none managed to score more than 70 runs.
Six half-centuries by India are the joint second-most by a team in a Test innings.
India’s 524 for 9 declared is also the highest score without a century in a home Test. (Check out India’s highest team totals in Tests here.)
Unique Team Trends and Multiple Occurrences
Australia are the only team to post 500-plus runs without an individual hundred in two Test innings.
Australia have scored eight 400-plus totals without a century against England, the most instances by a team against an opponent in Tests.
Nervous Nineties and Batter Statistics
There are 13 instances of teams scoring 400-plus runs with at least one batter stranded on 99.
The number jumps to 70 if we also include batters stranded in the nervous nineties (90-99).
Read Next | Most Consecutive Wins in ODI
